As living spaces continue to evolve, here are five trends to watch in 2022 and beyond.
The home is always evolving. How people use their living space is unique to each individual. And these needs have nuances depending on culture, regionality, and proximity to populated areas. But one thing we all have in common is the desire to feel comfortable and organized in a functional space. Over the last decade, we have seen the evolution of an open concept floor plan. As we continue into the next decade, here are five trends we’re seeing on the evolution of common-use spaces in the home.
Nature’s Influence Is Coming Indoors
The future is a seamless integration of indoor and outdoor environments where nature’s influence brings a sense of peace and mindfulness to our homes. Many new construction or renovation projects are designed to enhance the connections of the natural environment with the indoor living space. More windows that are bigger in size, larger patio doors, light, and landscape are becoming desirable interior requirements. In relation to cabinetry use, this means less space for wall cabinets so the few there are, tend to be more accessible and better organized with the same utilization logic applied to enhanced functions in base cabinets.
Over the last decade, we have seen the evolution of the open concept floor plan and the way each space throughout the home is used.
The Multiple Stages Of Life
Homeowners are getting more settled into their spaces. Market volatility and economic uncertainty have consumers nesting into longer-term investments. This has homeowners looking at the functional aspects of their current space and considering future uses. Finding the right functionality for multiple stages of life can be tricky. Talk to friends and family in different stages of life to find out what is working for them. Then, take those “must-haves” and consider adding other tried and true features to your home. We love roll-out tray storage as well as food and beverage storage that easily converts from kids’ snacks to grown-up entertainment zones. Another great rule of thumb to future-proofing your space is to make sure your cabinets have more drawers than doors.
Roll-out trays are both functional and user-friendly. 
Deep drawers offer endless uses that grow with the home.
Design for Flexibility
The open concept floorplan is still widely popular but consideration is certainly being given for a clearer designation of spaces. Many homeowners today are finding that working, studying, and enjoying hobbies at home are more common than before the pandemic. This calls for the separation of spaces through either permanent or temporary means. It often also requires that these spaces be multifunctional as their use may evolve throughout the day or week. Hybrid spaces, unique storage solutions, and designs with every inch of living space having an intended purpose are rising in popularity. We are seeing walk-in pantries becoming double-use home management areas. Kitchen islands are doubling as office space. Cabinet storage is integrating office and school supplies. Hard boundaries for spaces and their “typical” uses are evolving into more creative uses.
Walk-in pantries are becoming double-use home management areas.
Make Your Space Your Own
Styles are evolving quickly from simply stark, white shakers that now seem too sterile, to bringing in warmth and subtle details. This acceptance of a style shift really opens the door to adding in personal and uniquely appealing details. Beyond lifestyle and functional needs, the kitchen is a place to set the backdrop that represents the homeowner and who you are. Color, texture, design, and décor all mesh together in this space to create the scene. Now is the right time to bring that personalization into the home.
Subtle additions of color add personality to your space.
Prioritize Organization
There is no shortage of storage or home organization ideas out there. Depending on your budget and needs, there truly is a solution to tailor to any new cabinet project. In a recent study, more than half of homeowners polled said they regretted not spending more on features in their cabinetry. We continue to see a rise in this type of regret when it comes to organization. It can be avoided by identifying your pain points in your living space and purposefully setting some of your project budget aside to solve them. Each problem is as unique as the possibilities for a solution. Working with a designer or checking out one of our brands like Diamond Cabinets, can help guide you to the right products.
Find a MasterBrand kitchen and bath designer near you by visiting https://www.masterbrand.com/dealer-locator.
